


Five Times George Caught Alesha and James Together (And One Time He Didn't)

by Persiflage



Category: Law & Order: UK
Genre: F/M, five things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-30
Updated: 2010-10-30
Packaged: 2017-10-12 23:37:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/130397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persiflage/pseuds/Persiflage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>George has uncanny timing!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Times George Caught Alesha and James Together (And One Time He Didn't)

**Author's Note:**

> Author Notes: lj user agentcat47 gave me the prompt _5 times George caught them together_ – I added the addendum of "One time he didn't." The story begins in the December before the show's first episode.  
>  Beta: fourzoas  
> Disclaimer: ITV owns Law & Order: UK.  
> Spoilers: Up to 1.04: Unsafe

**1 – Mistletoe and Wine**

James slides an arm around Alesha's waist and she gives him a startled look, taking in his grin, then following his eyes upwards to find she's standing under some mistletoe. She wonders why anyone would hang mistletoe in a doorway. Before she can wonder any further, James' lips are pressed firmly against hers, and when she gasps, he slips his tongue into her mouth. She's practically melting against his body when someone clears their throat in a very pointed manner behind them, and she jerks away from James in surprise.

Turning their heads they discover George with his arms folded over his chest.

"Um," says Alesha, unsure where or how to begin. This **is** the office Christmas party after all, and she's already seen one couple in a state of half-undress down the corridor.

"Hello George," says James, apparently unconcerned by their boss' sudden appearance.

"If you two wouldn't mind," George says, "I would like to rejoin my colleagues."

James grins and pulls Alesha towards himself as he steps out into the corridor; she briefly wonders how much of the mulled wine he's drunk – she's only had one glass so far – not that she imagines James is actually drunk.

As George passes them, she hears him mutter to James. "My office is free, but be discreet." Then he's stepping into the conference room, and James is grinning down at her.

"You heard the man," he says, taking her hand in his and leading her away from the heaving throng and the pounding music (currently the stereo is playing _I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day_ ).

Once inside George's office, Alesha sits down heavily on the sofa feeling slightly disoriented, while James closes the blinds and locks the door.

"Is this okay?" he asks, sitting beside her. "I don't want to presume, but I rather got the impression you do like me, and I – " he pauses, a faint blush colouring his cheeks, which she finds oddly endearing. "I fancy you," he says, then laughs awkwardly. "I sound like a teenager."

Alesha moves so that she can lean in close to him. "I fancy you, too," she confides. "Now kiss me."

* * * * * *

 **2 – Romance**

It's their first Valentine's Day together, and they're both as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a rocking chair factory. Alesha's ex wasn't one for flowers, chocolates and 'sappy' (his word) cards, but she's got a sneaking feeling that James is a romantic at heart, and she's wondering if he's going to deluge her with the whole thing tomorrow. When George calls them into his office for a meeting about their current caseload, she is careful to position her chair at a respectable distance from James' as she doesn't want George making sarcastic comments.

After the meeting is over Alesha follows James into his office to collect some files she needs, and he immediately asks "What are we doing tomorrow?"

She straightens up with an armful of files, looking surprised. "I don't know – we haven't discussed it."

"Do you want to go out to dinner somewhere nice?"

Alesha laughs. "It's a bit late for that, Mr Steel. Everywhere halfway decent will be booked up already."

"Really?" he asks, sounding surprised. "Oh."

James looks so crestfallen at this news that she sets the files down on a chair and walks across to put her arms around him. "How long is it since you had a woman in your life?"

"Um – six years?" he hazards.

"What am I going to do with you?" she asks playfully.

"Well, I can think of a few things," he says, sliding a hand between the back of her cardigan and her blouse, then pulling the latter free of the waistband of her skirt.

"Is that right?" She smirks up at him as she deliberately rubs herself against his body, feeling him growing hard. He gasps slightly and abandons the small of her back, which he's been stroking, to reach down and lift up her skirt at the back. She immediately swipes his hand away, and he growls at her, then they both start when George speaks from the doorway.

"Could you two lovebirds wait until you're out of the office, please?"

"Sorry George," they chorus, somewhat abashed, although Alesha notes that while George sounds exasperated there's a twinkle in his eye.

He looks at his watch. "You two might as well go home," he says. "I don't think there's anything that can't wait until Monday."

"Thank you," says James fervently, and Alesha echoes his gratitude.

"But I want you both in bright and early on Monday morning, and I shall want your full attention, understand?"

They nod, and he chuckles as he walks away. They exchange a startled look, then decide to leave before he can change his mind.

* * * * * *

 **3 – The Headboard Shuffle**

"I know her; she's up to something. That defence is way too simple," James tells George, and Alesha can hear the concern in his voice as he worries about Beatrice McArdle's plans.

"Just because you two used to do the headboard shuffle doesn't give you an insight into how she runs her defences nowadays," George retorts promptly.

Alesha folds her arms over her chest, eyebrows climbing. "What? You and her?" she asks, intrigued.

"Yeah, it was a long time ago. Thanks for that, George." James sounds defensive and seeing George's expression, Alesha can't help wondering if he let that slip on purpose since he knows full well that she and James are seeing each other.

James asks her to get a comprehensive character profile of Jono, so she goes to her office for her coat and bag, and a moment later James comes in.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

She turns as she pulls on her coat. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" she counters, genuinely puzzled.

"Because of what George said about Bea," he answers, stepping towards her. He clasps her shoulders, looking down into her upturned face.

"Silly man," she says. "Why should that bother me?" He gives a shrug, his expression intent. "There's no reason for me to get jealous of your ex, is there?"

"No," he agrees. "Bea and I were together a long time ago." He drops his hands from her shoulders to embrace her. "I'll tell you about it some time."

"If you want to," she answers, before stretching up on tiptoes to kiss him.

"Alesha, I – " says a voice from the doorway.

They start and turn guiltily to where George is standing, a file in his hand. He raises an eyebrow, and they pull apart, both blushing.

"A little more discretion, if you please," he comments as Alesha takes the file from him and puts it in her in-tray.

"Sorry George," James says. "I started it."

"I don't care who started it," he answers, "just remember this is your work place, please. This is becoming something of a habit."

They both nod, eyes downcast, and he stalks out again.

"I should go," James says. "I'll talk to you later."

"Okay." She smiles at him, then heads out to find the people she needs to see.

* * * * * *

 **4 – Hurt**

Alesha hands her armful of boxes to James, who puts them down out of the way. "Notices of appeal, applications in the event McArdle wins. We'll be drowning in paperwork by the end of the day," she tells him and George.

"Well, you should be happy," answers George, more angry than she's ever seen him. "You got what you wanted. Jono has an excuse. Everyone's a victim now!"

From the corner of her eye she can see that James is looking surprised that George is attacking her. She forces herself to bite back the retort that springs to her lips and gives a curt nod. "I'll be at my desk," she informs him, annoyed; after all, none of this is her fault. She stalks away, leaving James with George.

Ten minutes later James finds her hunched over some paperwork on her desk. "Hey," he says softly when she doesn't look up at his entrance.

"Hey." She gives him a brief glance, then focuses on her work again, but that glance is enough to reveal the hurt expression she still wears.

"Don't take any notice of George," he says, moving around her desk to crouch beside it.

She snorts. "He's the boss, I have to take notice of him."

"That's not what I meant," he answers. "He's just in a bit of a flap about Bea's defence."

"He's no call to take it out on me," she says shortly. "I'm not the one trying to overturn the English Justice system. Just because I stood up for Jono, he – " she breaks off and shakes her head, her expression angry now.

James puts a hand on her arm. "Come here," he says, leaning closer. After a moment she turns her chair and allows him to embrace her. "George is all sound and fury," he tells her quietly. "You mustn't mind what he says in the heat of the moment. And you're right to be concerned about Jono. Of course I want justice for Danny and his mum, but as you reminded me, Jono's just 13, and what Bea is going to put him through will be hell for him."

He pulls back a little to kiss her forehead, then he briefly kisses her mouth. Neither of them see George in the doorway; he's come to apologise for his intemperate remarks to Alesha, but he decides the apology can wait until James has finished talking to her. Normally he has little tolerance for them canoodling in office hours, but for once he's prepared to overlook it. He quietly heads back to his office.

"Okay?" James asks after a few more minutes spent holding Alesha.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Good." He gets to his feet. "I'd better go and see if George has calmed down enough for a sensible conversation."

She nods, and he squeezes her shoulder, then goes out, while she turns back to her paperwork, grateful for his reassurances.

* * * * * *

 **5 – Comfort**

"Remind me, who's the qualified barrister, and who's the novice?" demands George angrily.

Alesha speaks up from her seat on the sofa in George's office. "The charging officer never logged Doyle's perjury charge on the PNC system."

"I'm not losing this trial because of some administrative balls-up," James says angrily.

"No, you're losing it because your witnesses are an aggrieved ex-lover and a convicted perjurer," answers George as Alesha begins to gather up the paperwork and files they've been looking at. "Slade's running rings around you in there."

"Thanks for your support, George." James is facing off against his boss now, both of them furiously angry, and Alesha wonders if they're going to come to blows.

"Maybe when they find Slade innocent, I'll offer him your job," taunts the older man as James heads towards the door.

James turns in the door. "You do that!" he retorts. He's angrier than Alesha's ever seen him before, and she decides it's time to intervene as she gets to her feet, her arms full of files.

"Both of you, stop!" She glares at them both as they turn to her, surprised by her anger. "It was one bad day," she continues as she moves around the coffee table. "We keep going!" The two men look at each other. "Together, yes?" she demands, knowing that them being at loggerheads won't help James deal with this too-personal case.

James nods slightly, his hands on his hips still, watching George as he looks away from Alesha's angry expression and moves to sit behind his desk. She hears James sigh, and then he looks away, and starts out of the door. She follows, putting a hand on his elbow and guiding him towards her office. He looks down at her, noting the way her lips are pressed tightly together, and realises that she's still angry.

She drops the files onto her desk, then turns to James. "You shouldn't let him goad you like that," she says.

He looks down at the floor, a remorseful expression on his face. "I know," he says quietly.

"I know it's frustrating that Ronnie and Matt still haven't located Richie Newman, but you can't lose it like that with George – you know how choleric he gets when a trial isn't going well."

He leans against the edge of her desk. "I know." He's still not making eye contact with her, and she thinks that he looks more defeated than she's seen him look for a long time.

She steps closer, moving between his feet and leans in to wrap her arms around him. "It's not over yet," she says softly.

He wraps his arms around her in return. "I know. I'm just – I'm worried about Louise," he says.

She lifts her head from his chest and kisses him, trying to offer him some small comfort. He tightens his hold on her and deepens their kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth. Alesha makes a pleased noise; she can feel herself growing aroused, and she can tell James is also becoming aroused. His right hand slides down her back to caress her bottom as he presses her body more firmly against his.

"Alesha, I want – "

They break apart guiltily, startled by George's sudden interruption. He looks irritated still, and they both remember previous occasions on which he's caught them kissing, and they wonder if this is going to mean a formal warning.

"Oh, go home, the pair of you," George says grumpily and stalks away again.

Alesha looks up at James, his surprised expression mirroring hers. "I think we should go," she says quietly.

"There's some paperwork I need to do," he begins.

"We'll come in early tomorrow," she says. "You need food and sleep."

"And you," he adds, smirking a little.

"Cheeky," she answers, but she doesn't look displeased. "Come on, then." She collects her coat, scarf and bag, and he goes to fetch his own, and then they slip away.

* * * * * *

 **6 – Research and Chinese**

Once they've decided to dig into Slade's prison record, they pick up some Chinese and then head to the office. Alesha lets them into the building with her pass, and they take the lift up to their floor. James puts his arms around her and kisses her deeply, ignoring the carrier bag of Chinese she holds. She lets the bag drop to the floor as he slides his hands down her back onto her bottom, pressing her body tightly against his.

"James!" she gasps.

"What?" he asks, his voice thick with desire.

"Can't you at least wait until we're in my office?" she counters.

He sighs. "If I must."

"It could get embarrassing if anyone else is around."

"At least we know George has gone off to that gala thing at the Royal Opera House tonight," James observes, one hand casually fondling her bottom.

"Thank goodness! We'd be in a lot of trouble if he knew you were here when you're suspended." She bends and picks up the bag of Chinese, and they step out of the lift together, then head towards her office.

"You should have a sofa in your office," he observes.

"Why?" asks Alesha. "After all, you haven't got one. Only George has."

"Mmm." He has a thoughtful look on his face. "Detour," he says. He carefully grabs her elbow and steers her into George's office. "Put on the desk lamp."

She shoots him a quizzical look but does as he asks, and the next moment she hears him lock the door before he moves to close the blinds. He takes the carrier bag from her hand and puts it on the coffee table, then leads her over to the sofa.

"I've been wanting to do this since that night at the Christmas party," he tells her, pulling her to sit beside him as he settles on the sofa. "The night of our first kiss."

She grins as he slides his right hand up under her skirt and starts to stroke her thigh. "So you're going to make up for not shagging me then by shagging me in here now?"

"That's the plan," he murmurs. He leans in and kisses her, his hand sliding even higher under her skirt. His left arm wraps around her body to hold her close, and she whimpers when his fingers push aside her thong to stroke across her bare skin.

"James." She can't help moaning a little as he touches her.

"Alesha?" He grins at her.

"You're a tease!" she exclaims, reaching out for his zip.

He chuckles and she growls, then unzips his trousers, her small hand slipping inside to fondle his growing erection. Then she shifts onto his lap, pressing her body against his and it's his turn to moan as she deliberately rubs herself against him. He lifts her up and off his lap to stand in front of him, then reaches up under her skirt to pull off her thong, before standing up and shoving his trousers down to his ankles. He sits down again, then pulls Alesha back down onto his lap, slipping two fingers inside her to check that she's ready for him. She fishes in the pocket of his sports jacket and takes out a condom, which she rolls down his length before guiding it inside herself.

"Fuck!" whispers James.

"Yes please," she answers, allowing him to lift her up until only his tip is still inside her, before he lowers her down again. She shifts onto her knees so that she can move up and down more easily, and they begin a steady rhythm. After a few moments he unbuttons her blouse, and when she lifts herself upwards, he ducks his head to kiss her breast.

"Hold on," he says. "You won't have to work so hard if I lie down." He holds her steady as he manoeuvres around and then lies back, and she smirks down at him.

"What?" he asks, surprised by the smirk.

"You probably think you're really clever, doing that without falling out, don't you?

"Don't you?" he asks, grinning cheekily.

"Yes, all right," she agrees, beginning to move again.

He smirks now as he begins to thrust, quickly matching his movements to hers. Alesha watches James' face: she loves to see him lose control when he climaxes, because he's so self-controlled normally. She feels that seeing him vulnerable is not something he grants to everyone – even in court, his reactions are controlled.

"You're thinking too much," he says, lifting a hand from her hip to cup her cheek. "Always thinking, aren't you?"

She ducks her head to kiss him languidly. "No more than you," she answers when she lifts her head again.

He smiles, then his expression changes, and she knows he's getting close, just as she is.

They take a few minutes afterwards to catch their breath before they dress themselves properly again, and James fishes a can of air freshener from George's cupboard to mask the scent of sex.

"He keeps that there for when he's expecting important visitors," James tells her.

"Handy," Alesha comments as she picks up the carrier bag. "Hope this hasn't gone cold."

"It should be okay," he says as he opens the blinds again. "It's still in the foil containers after all."

"True."

They relocate to Alesha's office so they can do what they came in for.

"If George hears I let you in, he'll go mental," she says as they set to work digging through Slade's prison record, both of them tucking hungrily into their food.

"Just visiting a friend," he says, grinning cheekily, because they both know that they're far more than friends.

She grins back at him, then begins telling him about Slade's prison file.

A few moments later George clears his throat, startling them, and they turn to see him standing in the doorway of Alesha's office.

"God save me from gala performances with the Home Secretary."

"George, before you say anything – " Alesha begins quickly.

He smiles at them. "I'm still at the Royal Opera House. Switch the lights off when you leave." He goes out, and Alesha and James look at each other, both sighing with relief, then James laughs softly.

"That was unbelievably lucky," says Alesha. "If he'd come back half an hour ago."

James nods. "I know."

They both know that while George might be inclined to be indulgent regarding James being in the office when he shouldn't be, he would have been livid if he'd found them having sex in his office.


End file.
